"We were in a bad situation," Ghedi said. "But we have families. We have to work. I can't make it if I don't do 12 hours a day."

Ghedi and nearly three dozen other Portland cab drivers quit Friday morning. Saturday afternoon, they launched their own company. PDX Yellow Cab was four years in the making, the first major Somali-owned business to open in Portland.

"We've been struggling," Ghedi said. "We have 20 years, 15 years driving in this city. Today, we are owners. Today, we are free."